


A Long Way From Where We Began

by anodyneer



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Background Peter Hale/Sheriff Stilinski - Freeform, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Cuddling & Snuggling, Derek Deserves Nice Things, Derek Texts Peter, Derek is a Christmas Baby, Derek is a Good Boyfriend, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Good Peter Hale, Hale Family Backstory, Hale Family Feels, Hale Family Memories, Holidays, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Yule
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-13 20:48:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12992232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anodyneer/pseuds/anodyneer
Summary: Five years into their relationship, Derek takes Stiles to the place where the Hale family often celebrated winter solstice and Derek's birthday. Stiles knows the trip will bring back a lot of memories for Derek, but both of them end up getting so much more out of it than they ever could have expected.





	A Long Way From Where We Began

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Obroseypack](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Obroseypack/gifts).



> Written for [Obroseypack](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Obroseypack)/kewismash for [Eternalsterek Secret Santa 2017](http://eternalstereksecretsanta.tumblr.com/). Established Sterek holiday fluff, cuddling, and domesticity, mixed with a metric crap-ton of Hale family feelings/memories/backstory. This is a future fic, and Derek has come a long way since his broody early days, so be prepared! 
> 
> And yes, you read that right - there are mentions of a background Peter/Sheriff relationship, just because I can. ;)
> 
> Title from "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa.

As he turned off onto a mountain road that was clearly seldom used, Stiles couldn’t help glancing over at Derek, dozing beside him in the passenger seat. It had been a little over five years since they’d officially started dating, but it still sometimes took Stiles by surprise when he got to see Derek completely unguarded, especially when they were far away from home.

Knowing Derek wanted to be awake for the last part of the drive, Stiles reluctantly reached over and gave his knee a gentle squeeze. Derek stirred and murmured something that sounded vaguely like a question.

“We’re almost there,” Stiles said, drumming his fingers up Derek’s thigh. “You said you wanted me to wake you, remember?”

“Mmm.” Derek finally opened his eyes and glanced at their surroundings before giving Stiles a soft smile. “Still looks the same as I remember it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Derek said around an aborted yawn, stretching his arms out until his palms were flat on the dash. “This was always our favorite part. Dad would wake us up when Mom turned back this road, and we’d be so excited by the time we got there. Usually ended up chasing each other around the paths near the lodge while Mom got us checked in.” The memory brought another smile to Derek’s face, and Stiles grinned in return.

It still touched him to hear Derek talking about his family so openly, with happy, unburdened memories instead of guilt-ridden ones. After the deaths of Kate and Gerard (and their subsequent incineration by Peter for good measure), Derek had started to truly heal, but it was still another two years into their relationship before he’d started opening up and revealing more of his past.

The first time he’d shared something big with Stiles, a story about a family trip to the lake, Derek had been in tears by the end, but he’d been smiling – a beautiful, open smile, the likes of which Stiles had never really seen on Derek’s face in the past.

It’d gotten easier for him over time, but opening up like that was still somewhat of a rarity, and Stiles was grateful for every story, every memory.

It had been one of those stories, in fact, that had inspired their holiday getaway. The summer before last, during one of Cora’s visits, she’d been telling Stiles about a place where the Hale family had loved to spend Christmas – and sometimes other holidays as well. Though they didn’t observe the religious aspect of Christmas, they used it as an occasion for spending time together as a family and pack, celebrating the winter solstice and the changes it brought, letting their wolves run free.

They stayed at an isolated getaway deep in the wilds of Washington state, a massive property run by a small pack who made sure to keep prying eyes far enough away that the wolves didn’t have to worry. The Hales had loved it there, according to both Cora and Derek, but none of them had been back since the fire.

 _Maybe we could go there this Christmas?_ Stiles had suggested back then, fascinated by the idea of such a place. Derek’s only response, though, had been to get up and walk away without a word, leaving Stiles to wonder if he’d screwed things up. He’d found Derek on the back deck, looking out over their yard and the woods beyond. _Derek, I –_

 _It’s okay,_ Derek had said, turning to wrap Stiles in a warm embrace. _I just…maybe next year?_

Stiles had readily agreed, though he hadn’t really expected it to happen. He’d been floored, then, when Derek had not only suggested the getaway a year later, but had even followed through with reservations, plane tickets, and a rented Grand Cherokee.

“There it is,” Derek said, pulling Stiles from his thoughts. He followed Derek’s finger to what looked to be a tribal design of a howling wolf, carved into a well-weathered post at the side of the dirt road. As they passed the carving and continued toward what looked to be a large log cabin in the distance, Stiles noticed Derek growing anxious, and by the time they pulled up in front of the building, Stiles was more than a little concerned.

“Derek?” Stiles shut off the Jeep and reached over to cover one of Derek’s hands with his own.

“I’m good,” Derek said, his voice steady. He looked over at Stiles, and though his eyes were shining, he didn’t look as emotional as Stiles had expected. “I’m – it’s a lot, you know?” He turned his hand, threading his fingers through Stiles’ own. “But I’m glad we’re here. It feels right.”

“Good.” Stiles hesitated, not wanting to press the issue, not wanting to make Derek think that maybe he _should_ be more freaked out about being there. Still, he needed to make sure Derek knew they weren’t obligated to stay. “If that changes, though –”

“I’ll tell you. I will.” That soft smile returned to Derek’s face, and he tugged on Stiles’ hand, pulling him over for a quick kiss.

“We should probably go check in, then.” Stiles nodded toward the lodge’s front porch, where an elderly couple stood watching them. “Looks like the welcoming committee is here.”

Derek’s eyes widened, and after giving Stiles another quick peck, he climbed out of the Jeep. Stiles followed, getting out just in time to hear the woman gasp Derek’s name as she hurried down the steps to wrap him in a fierce hug. The man took his time, easing his way down the steps before giving Stiles a small, but warm smile.

“I’m so happy you’re here,” the woman said to Derek, her voice wavering. She backed away just far enough to run her hands up and down his arms. “I still can’t believe it.”

To Stiles’ surprise, not only did Derek seem comfortable with the contact and the attention, but he was still smiling, warm and beautiful. He shared a shorter, but still amiable, hug with the man as well before turning his attention back to Stiles.

“Stiles, this is Trudy and Walt Lowell. They and their pack run this place. Trudy and Walt, this is my boyfriend, Stiles Stilinski.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Walt said, extending a hand for Stiles to shake. Trudy, who’d already shown herself to be more of the hugging type, embraced Stiles just long enough to be comfortable, and just firmly enough for him to realize that, while her husband looked to be human, she was definitely a werewolf.

“Well, come on inside,” Trudy said as she stepped back to look them over from head to toe. “Let’s get you checked in.”

While Walt disappeared around the side of the lodge, Stiles and Derek followed Trudy inside, and Stiles couldn’t help but gape at his surroundings. The whole place was decorated in a rustic fashion with exposed logs and a wolf motif throughout. At the other side of the great room, opposite the entrance, was a massive stone fireplace, the likes of which Stiles had never seen in person. There was a conglomeration of cozy-looking armchairs and small tables around it, making for a great area to read or sit around and socialize. Stiles found himself drawn to the crackling fire, and to a particular cushy loveseat that looked to be the perfect size for him and Derek.

“Stiles.”

“Hmm?”

“Stiles.” Derek stepped up behind him and gave his shoulders a squeeze. “Let’s get checked in first.” He leaned in to nuzzle Stiles’ cheek. “We can come back here anytime you want.”

“I think I could live here,” Stiles admitted, letting Derek steer him in the direction of the front desk.

“Derek said the same thing way back when,” Trudy said from behind the desk as she got their keys and paperwork together. “He used to talk about becoming a forest ranger so he could patrol the forest around here and keep our secret safe – and so he could stop by anytime he wanted.”

Stiles grinned and turned to look at Derek, only to find him smiling as well. It warmed something in Stiles’ chest to see Derek reacting so well to memories from before the fire.

Once they’d gotten checked in, Trudy gave Derek a wink. “Now that that’s taken care of, there’s one thing left to do before I turn you loose.”

“Take a picture,” Derek said before leading Stiles back over to the seating area, and to one loveseat in particular. “This is the one I saw you eyeing up earlier, right?”

“It looks like it was made for us.” Stiles let himself fall back onto the seat, pulling Derek down with him. Sure enough, it was as comfortable as it looked, and Stiles sank into it, leaning into Derek’s side at the same time. Derek pressed against him and wrapped his hand around Stiles’ on Derek’s thigh.

“Maybe it was,” Derek whispered in his ear before planting a quick kiss on Stiles’ cheek. There was a click in the background, and Stiles glanced up to see Trudy pointing a camera at them and beaming.

“That was a good one,” she said, looking up from behind the camera and nodding. “Let me get one or two more, and then you boys are free to go.”

“She always does this,” Derek explained. “It’s been a tradition for decades.”

“Fine by me.” Stiles sat up a little straighter, and Derek did the same. They smiled as Trudy took another picture, then rested their heads together for her to take a third.

“Okay,” she finally said, “I’ll let you go before you start to lose your sincerity. Go get settled in, you two.” As they stood to leave, she reached out to squeeze Derek’s shoulder. “It’s so good to have you back here, Derek. We weren’t sure we’d ever see you again. You were definitely missed.”

“I missed this place and all of you, too,” Derek admitted. He looked as if he wanted to say something else before closing his mouth and giving a little shake of his head.

Instead of replying, Trudy flashed red eyes at Derek, whose own blue ones glowed in response. Then, before he quite realized it was happening, Derek grabbed Stiles’ hand and led him out to the Jeep.

  


* * *

  


“Okay, I think I could live _here_ , too.”

Stiles couldn’t figure out where to look first. Everything was so beautiful, from the stone fireplace and the leather sofa and chairs, to the fully stocked kitchen with copper cookware hanging from a small rack above the island. A small hallway led to doors that Stiles assumed were the bedroom and bathroom, but his attention was drawn to the sliding glass doors just off of the small dining room.

“Holy shit, is that a _hot tub_?”

There was a covered deck across the entire back side of the cabin, and nestled in one corner was, indeed, a large hot tub.

“There’s a Jacuzzi tub in the bedroom, too,” Derek said, walking up behind Stiles and wrapping his arms around him. He nuzzled into Stiles’ neck before starting to pepper Stiles’ jaw with soft kisses.

“Mmm.” Stiles turned in Derek’s arms and kissed him, thoroughly but casually, not really leading to anything just yet. “Sounds perfect.”

Derek gave him a fond smile, one that Stiles knew was reserved for him alone. “It’s good to be back. I missed this place more than I realized.” He leaned in to give Stiles a quick peck on the lips before leading him into the living room.

The gas fireplace was already lit, something Trudy had told them Walt had done while they were signing the paperwork and taking photos. It left the room toasty warm, and all Stiles wanted to do was snuggle with Derek on the sofa, watch some TV, and chill.

Derek had other plans, though. “Sit down, relax, and find us something to watch. I’ll go put our bags in the bedroom and get us something to drink.”

“You sure? I can help.”

“You drove us here from the airport.” A grimace flitted across Derek’s face, and Stiles knew he was still embarrassed that he’d had such a rough time on the flight and had to resort to using the wolfsbane-laced sedative Stiles had concocted for him. He’d definitely been in no shape to drive when they landed and had spent most of the trip from the airport asleep in the passenger seat.

“Speaking of which, we seriously might have to buy a Grand Cherokee in the near future,” Stiles replied, knowing the deflection was obvious, but that Derek was grateful for it anyway. It was just the way they worked.

Derek smirked and left to grab their bags from where they’d dropped them by the door. By the time he returned several minutes later with a mug in each hand, Stiles had become one with the sofa.

“Okay, I love our sofa at home, but if we have to get a new one someday, we should get one like this.” He reached for the mug Derek held out to him. “Ooh, is this hot chocolate?”

“It is.” Derek toed off his shoes and curled up beside Stiles. “It’s locally made. A couple in Trudy’s pack owns a place in town. They do coffee, tea, hot chocolate, baking mixes in jars, stuff like that.”

Stiles sniffed at the steam coming out of the mug and moaned. It smelled absolutely decadent, and when he took the first sip, he wondered if he’d died and gone to chocolate heaven. “Oh my god. Please tell me they named this ‘sex in a cup,’ because if they didn’t, they’re just wrong.”

Derek chuckled, but he, too, closed his eyes and sighed after his next sip. “Mmm. It’s butterscotch espresso brownie. There’s a recipe on the back of the tin for making the matching brownies.”

“We might have to make those very soon. Like before we leave.”

Derek hummed in agreement and settled his head on Stiles’ shoulder. It felt perfect, and Stiles let himself completely relax for the first time since they’d left California.

He’d worried that the trip might be too much for Derek, despite Derek’s reassurances. But not only was Derek just fine, he seemed even more laid-back and affectionate than he’d been in the weeks leading up to the trip.

“I still have a really hard time considering _Gremlins_ a Christmas movie,” Derek murmured between sips of hot chocolate.

“I’m saving the better ones for closer to the actual day. But c’mon, _Gremlins_ is totally a Christmas movie.”

“Says the man who has _Die Hard_ and _Batman Returns_ on his list of favorite holiday movies.”

“Just because yours are a little more traditional doesn’t make mine any less valid.”

“True.” They settled into silence for a few minutes as the movie started. When Derek finally broke it, what he said caught Stiles off-guard. “This was one of Laura’s favorites, too. Every damn Christmas.” He shook his head and huffed out a soft laugh.

Stiles froze with the mug halfway to his mouth. “Um, should I…find something else?”

“No, let it play.” Derek gave him a lopsided grin. “As much as it freaked me out when I was little, it’s – it was kind of a tradition, I guess.”

As they sank into silence again, Stiles’ thoughts kept wandering back to Derek and his family’s traditions. Were there any others that he was going to unknowingly bring back to Derek’s life? And was Derek really okay with it, or were all of the memories of his long-gone family going to pile up on him until he broke down? The very last thing Stiles wanted was to break Derek’s heart, especially in a place that obviously held so many family memories for him.

“Hey.” Derek’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. “What’s going on? Your pulse really picked up.”

“That’s still not fair,” Stiles grumbled, though there was no heat behind it. He put his mug on the end table and started to sit back, but Derek stopped him, wrapping a gentle hand around the back of Stiles’ neck.

“Stiles, it’s okay. Really. I want this. I want to remember them.” He leaned in to brush his nose over Stiles’ cheek, inhaling deeply. “I don’t think I have a single bad memory of this place. We always had so much fun here.”

Stiles smiled and gave him a nod. “Then we’ll remember them.” He waited for Derek to put his now-empty mug on the coffee table, then opened his arms, wrapping Derek in them. They stayed that way through the rest of the movie, laughing and cringing and occasionally adding their own commentary.

“Mom used to say that’s why we couldn’t tell people about what we were,” Derek told him after the grandfather in the movie spoke about what society did to nature’s gifts. “She could always find the lesson in everything, even a cheesy 80s movie. She said that werewolves were one of nature’s gifts, and that if society found out about us, they’d make us out to be monsters.” He chuckled and sat up as the credits started to roll, turning to face Stiles. “And Laura would go, ‘Oh my god, Mom, it’s just a movie. Only you could turn _Gremlins_ into an afterschool special.’” He started to laugh, and Stiles joined him.

“Okay, Laura sounds seriously awesome.”

“She was.” Derek’s laughter faded, but he just looked sentimental instead of sad. “You would’ve liked her, I think. I know she would have loved you and your sarcasm. You two could have been dangerous together.”

“I wish I could have met her.” It slipped out before Stiles could stop it, but Derek’s smile spread, eyes crinkling at the corners.

“I wish you could have met all of them. You would’ve fit in with the pack so well.”

“Even Cora?”

“You know you’ve grown on Cora. And if she hadn’t lost everyone the way she did, she would have been different.” He tilted his head, thinking about it for a moment. “Before the fire, Cora was kind of sweet and innocent, I guess. She used to be so patient that butterflies would land on her.”

“ _Cora?_ ”

“Cora. Everything that happened changed her a lot.” He sighed and reached for both of Stiles’ hands. “When she’s with her other pack, I can see some of the old Cora. The innocence is gone, but I think that comes with growing up anyway. She seems happy there, though.” His thumbs brushed absently over Stiles’ palms. “Their alpha told me Cora’s even more contented when I’m there.”

Stiles swallowed hard and tried to slow the sudden pounding in his chest. For as much as he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer, he had to know. “Do you ever think about staying? You know, becoming part of their pack?”

“No,” Derek answered without hesitation. “No, I like it there, and I like seeing Cora that way, but it’s not where I’m supposed to be.”

“And where are you supposed to be?”

Derek gave his hands a squeeze. “Wherever you are.”

Stiles blinked at him, speechless. “You,” he managed to choke out around the lump in his throat. Derek just grinned, which made the corners of Stiles’ mouth curve upward. “You can’t just say things like that and expect me to keep my shit together.” Before Derek had a chance to reply, Stiles lunged at him, pushing Derek back on the sofa, then settling on top of him. He pressed his lips to Derek’s, frantic at first, but then easing into something much softer and unhurried.

“I love you,” Derek whispered against his lips, and Stiles could feel him smiling once again.

“Love you, too.” Stiles kissed him on the tip of the nose, and Derek huffed out a laugh.

Of course, Stiles’ stomach, which always did have the worst timing, picked that moment to rumble. Derek shook his head fondly.

“Guess we should go find something to eat. There should be plenty of food in the pantry and fridge, and Walt has a habit of leaving some fresh game in the freezer.”

“Game?” Stiles arched an eyebrow at him. “Like squirrels and rabbits?”

“Venison and bison,” Derek told him with a roll of his eyes. He stood and pulled Stiles up, wrapping his arms around Stiles’ waist. “If you really want, though, I can go out and chase down a few rabbits for us. It’s a lot easier to track them this time of year.”

“Oh my god. You’re lucky I love you so much that it overrides how grossed out I am by that offer.”

“Yeah.” Derek gave him that soft smile. “I am.”

As Derek led him to the kitchen, and knowing full well that Derek’s hearing would easily pick up on it, Stiles whispered, “Not as lucky as I am.”

  


* * *

  


Stiles stood in the middle of the living room, giving the pine tree in the corner a contemplative look. It was on the small side but perfect for the size of the room, and it smelled amazing. They’d gone to cut it themselves only a couple of hours earlier after borrowing a saw from Walt. Stiles had already wrapped a strand of multi-colored lights around it, but other than that, the tree was still bare.

“I can’t remember the last time I had a real tree for Christmas.”

Derek glanced up from where he was sorting through the small box of ornaments they’d brought with them. A few of the ornaments were ones Stiles had from before they moved in together, while most of the others were ones they’d bought, made, or were given over the half-decade they’d been together.

“We can start getting real ones. I thought you liked your fiber-optic one.”

It was true that Stiles had brought a small artificial tree with him when they’d moved in together, but he didn’t really have much of an attachment to it.

“I don’t really have any feelings about it one way or the other,” he admitted. “I just bought it when I lived in my apartment so people who came over would stop harassing me about not decorating, and I just never got rid of it.” He sat beside Derek on the floor. “You’d rather have a real one, then?”

“I think so, yeah,” Derek said with a shrug. “We always had real ones when I was growing up. Sometimes we’d get live ones and plant them in the preserve when the holidays were over. It was a whole…thing. Something Dad liked to do.” He smiled over at Stiles and handed him an ornament, a young wolf howling at the moon. It had originally been white, but Stiles had carefully painted it to look like Derek’s wolf before giving it to him. “This is still one of my favorites.”

Stiles smirked, leaning in for a quick kiss. “You’re such a sap. I love it.” He ran a finger over the figurine, mind wandering. In all the time they’d been together, Derek hadn’t said much about the holidays and had always gone along with whatever Stiles had wanted to do. “You know, I don’t think I ever asked you this, but do werewolves even really celebrate Christmas?”

Derek shook his head as he pulled out the last ornament and put the box aside. “No, most of us celebrate Yule, or the winter solstice, instead. We observed Yule, but closer to Christmas because everyone had time off from work and school. It’s only a few days’ difference anyway, and with my birthday on Christmas, we just made it one big vacation.”

“Oh. Huh.” Stiles considered that for a moment. Neither Derek nor Cora had ever really said much about their family’s holiday traditions, and Stiles had always been too worried about upsetting them to ask. Derek still seemed to be in the mood for sharing memories, though, so Stiles decided to take a chance. “So what kinds of things did you do for the solstice?”

“A lot of it was nature-oriented,” Derek told him as he pushed himself up off the floor. He helped Stiles up, then went over to the tree to hang the first ornaments. “We went on walks and gathered things to make decorations. Cora and Max liked to find as many acorns as they could and then make little piles by the trees that smelled like squirrels, and Dad helped them hang up their pine cone bird feeders.” He chuckled at the memory, and Stiles smiled, relieved. 

“We’d have a small bonfire at the preserve the night before Christmas, or when we were here, we’d go to the one up at the lodge. We’d string popcorn and berries and put them on the trees outside the house for the birds. Well, except for Henry – he ate everything he was supposed to be stringing. Kid was a bottomless pit, I swear, and he didn’t even have werewolf metabolism.” He smirked at Stiles, then started laughing outright.

Stiles grinned right back, warmth spreading through his chest. He’d never heard Derek mention either of the brothers he’d lost in the fire, not even once. And now, not only was he talking about them, but he was smiling and laughing, and Stiles could tell it was genuine.

As they finished decorating the tree, Derek shared more memories, and Stiles did the same. Stiles’ family had never been particularly religious, and his dad often had to work, so they treated the holiday as a chance to spend time together, eating way too much food and watching movies.

After Claudia’s death, Stiles and his dad had tried to keep going, but Christmas sort of fell by the wayside. Both of them were hurting, and neither of them could cook Christmas dinner or decorate the house the way Claudia had, so they didn’t really bother. They’d tried spending a Christmas with Melissa and Scott, but it just hadn’t felt right.

Nowadays, Melissa had Chris Argent, Stiles had Derek, and the sheriff had…Peter Hale.

It had started out as two unlikely allies sharing a few beers and talking about classic cars and had progressed at an admittedly glacial pace. Stiles hadn’t even known for sure if the two wanted to pursue a relationship or if they’d simply wanted the companionship. They were over two years into whatever was going on between them, and they’d finally managed to tip over to the relationship side of the line, but only just.

“There’s something wrong with my uncle,” Derek said later that evening, staring at his phone. He’d been reading while Stiles messed around on his tablet as they relaxed after a day of tree decorating, walking in the woods, and eating bison steaks for dinner.

“Do I even want to know?”

Derek handed the phone to Stiles. Staring back at him was a picture of Peter kissing the sheriff at the corner of his mouth as he held what Stiles hoped was a fake sprig of mistletoe over their heads. The sheriff’s eyes were scrunched closed and he was smiling – and blushing. Below the photo was a caption.

_Innocent Christmas tradition or an introduction to masochism? I’ll never tell._

“Wait, that’s not real mistletoe, is it?”

Derek shrugged at him from the other end of the sofa. “I doubt it, but with Peter, it’s hard to say. He _is_ into masochism. Please don’t ask me how I know.”

“Oh, god, I don’t want to know anyway. Anything involving Peter’s sex life probably now involves my dad’s s-” He shook his head. “I can’t even say it. Can’t do it.”

Derek put down his book and stretched out on his back with his head on Stiles’ thigh, looking up at him. “Peter used to love Yule.”

“Peter? This Peter?” Stiles held Derek’s phone up in front of his face.

“That Peter.” Derek took the phone and put it on his stomach. “He was always a little out there, always had that desire for money and power. But he also really wanted to see us kids happy and safe. I think he would’ve done anything for us.” He trailed off, turning his head to the side. Stiles carded his fingers through Derek’s hair, staying silent, waiting him out.

“Mom was our alpha. She loved us and was fair, but she was also the disciplinarian. Dad was more laid back, practical but fun. He was the good cop to Mom’s bad cop.” He stopped again, and Stiles could tell he was trying to gather himself. When he turned his head back to look up at Stiles, though, Derek was smiling.

“Peter was basically a fixer for the pack. He did the dirty work, and he was good at it. He was so cold and creepy that it was sometimes a little unnerving, even to us. There were actually urban legends about him. But Yule, and my birthday, and the whole time around winter break, gave him a chance to get away from all of that and to give back to the pack in a way that wasn’t so…dark, I guess.”

Stiles switched to massaging Derek’s scalp, and Derek pushed into the touch, letting out a deep sigh.

“He got to spoil us,” he continued, voice going soft, “and Mom couldn’t really say anything about it. And he loved coming up here. He’d hide presents for us and make a scavenger hunt out of it. He’d go over to the lodge and commandeer Trudy’s kitchen to bake cookies and my birthday cake and these little sugar donuts. I can’t believe I forgot about the baking. He was really good at it.”

Derek pushed himself up slowly, grabbing his phone and leaning into Stiles as he finally poked out a response to Peter’s earlier text.

_I’m not sure I want to know. Stiles definitely doesn’t want to know._

He quickly followed it up with another message.

_Are you cooking for him?_

“I hope he is,” Stiles said, wrapping his arms around Derek. “Dad can’t do holiday dinners.”

It took several minutes for the reply to come through, minutes that Stiles wisely used to make out with Derek.

_Of course I am. The man wants a traditional dinner, and Betty Crocker doesn’t make a turkey helper, so the task of cooking falls upon me._

Stiles couldn’t help snickering at the truth of that statement. “He should probably make dessert, too. Dad’s desserts come from the same Betty.”

_Are you going to bake for him, too?_

The reply came almost immediately.

_Not fair, nephew._

“What does he mean by that?” Stiles asked.

Derek gave him a lopsided smile. “It’s stirring up old memories for him, too. Talking about the baking, and us being here.”

Stiles nodded, not really sure what to say to that. While Derek had spent many years letting those memories torment him, Peter had used them to fuel his revenge. Derek had only recently gotten to the point where it no longer hurt to remember his family, where the good memories weren’t tainted by what came after, and Stiles wondered aloud if time was doing the same for Peter.

“He’s getting there,” Derek answered. “It’s still…complicated. And as much as this thing between them may weird you out, being with your dad is helping, the same way being with you helped me. It might take a little longer for Peter, but it – it’s helping.”

“Yeah.” Stiles let his mouth curve into an easy smile. “Tell him that apple cinnamon muffins are Dad’s favorite, and they’re actually pretty healthy for him, considering the alternatives.”

Derek passed along the info, and almost immediately got a response from Peter that he’d ‘take it under advisement.’ “That means he’s definitely going to make them.”

“I’m still having a hard time picturing Peter cooking and baking, but I’m glad Dad’s going to get a really good dinner.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Stiles was hit with a realization. “Oh my god, Peter’s _providing_ for my dad. He is, isn’t he? This is really getting serious.” 

“Took you long enough,” Derek teased, dragging a finger down Stiles’ nose. When Stiles started to splutter in protest, Derek shut him up with a kiss, which was absolutely an effective technique. “Do you want your dad to be happy?”

“I – well, yeah, of course.” Stiles took a deep breath, letting it out in a resigned sigh. “And Peter makes him happy. Really happy. Like, I haven’t seen him that kind of happy in a long time. I just…it’s okay to trust him, right? I mean, this is my dad we’re talking about. He – he’s already been through so much.”

“Yes,” Derek said in a near-whisper. “It’s okay to trust him. It wasn’t always, but it is now.” He slipped out of Stiles’ arms and stood, making his way over to the doors that led to the back deck.

Stiles gave him a moment, then followed, stepping up beside Derek. “Sure is beautiful here.” When there was no response, he glanced over at Derek, only to find him staring out at the deck and the woods beyond. “Derek?”

“I haven’t seen Peter this happy in a long time either,” Derek murmured. He reached for Stiles’ hand, threading their fingers together.

“Does it surprise you that it’s my dad who’s making him that way?”

Derek finally looked over at him, brow furrowed. “No, not at all.” Stiles couldn’t help giving him a skeptical look. Derek’s expression softened, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Peter needs someone like your dad. Someone who can be patient with him, but who’s also emotionally stable and won’t take any of his shit.”

“Yeah, he’s had a lot of practice with that last part.”

Derek snorted out a laugh and finally turned to face him, wrapping his arms around Stiles’ waist. “And look how you turned out. I have complete faith in your dad.”

Stiles let Derek pull him in and tilted his head so Derek could scent his neck. Derek breathed deeply a few times, then laid his head on Stiles’ shoulder. “You smell tired.”

“I’m worn out. What do you say we take this to the bedroom and engage in some aggressive cuddling.”

“Aggressive cuddling?” Derek said with a chuckle, his breath warming the side of Stiles’ neck. “I could get on board with that.”

  


* * *

  


“You sure you’re warm enough?” Derek asked as they walked one of the trails toward the main lodge. It was actually a beautiful day, if a little chilly, but Stiles had packed appropriately, with Derek’s help – and he was walking next to his own personal wolfy heater.

“I’m good.” Stiles gave his hand a squeeze. “I have you, and a wool base layer, and an awesome jacket. You should always help me pack.”

Derek smiled over at him. “I remember how cold Henry used to get when we stayed here. He had to bundle up to go outside, and he almost never slept in his own bed. He’d start out there, but he ended up with one of us to keep him warm.”

“Was Henry the only human in your family?”

“The only one in the immediate family.” Derek tilted his head back, scenting the air as they walked. “I’m pretty sure Mom expected him to take the bite when he was old enough to decide on his own, but I think he secretly liked being the only human. It made him special, and we all watched out for him.”

He pulled them to a stop in front of a large cabin. A small wooden placard with the words ‘Hale House’ carved into it hung from a post next to the short walkway leading up to the porch.

“This is it.” Derek gestured to the house with his free hand. “We stayed here almost every year, and sometimes more than once a year, from the time I was born until…the fire.” His voice went rough, and he leaned into Stiles, running his fingers over the sign. “They did this after it happened, in honor of our family, and they built a memorial garden out back. I – I haven’t seen it.”

The silence fell heavy between them, and for the first time in quite a while, Stiles could sense that Derek was struggling to keep his thoughts positive. He wanted to say something, anything to remind Derek of the happy memories that the cabin held, but he wasn’t sure where to even start.

“Come on,” Derek said, jarring Stiles out of his thoughts. “Let’s get up to the lodge.”

It only took a few minutes to get to the lodge, but neither of them spoke for the rest of the walk, instead enjoying the relative quiet that surrounded them. There were other families and packs staying in the various cabins on the property, but they all seemed to be pretty respectful of the peace and solitude that the forest had to offer.

As the two of them entered the lodge, it quickly became apparent that they weren’t the only ones taking advantage of Trudy’s hospitality. There were several other people in the great room, some standing around and chatting, some sitting in the chairs Stiles had admired when they’d first arrived.

There were all kinds of mouth-watering smells coming from the large dining room, and the two of them made their way over to the buffet-style setup that ran the length of one wall. They loaded their plates with a variety of different foods, everything from cubed venison with mushroom gravy to succotash to some kind of cucumber and vinegar salad that Derek insisted was amazing. After grabbing something to drink, they made their way back into the great room and settled into one of the loveseats, putting their drinks on the large coffee table in front of them.

It didn’t take long for them to get pulled into the conversation going on around them, and Stiles wasn’t surprised to find that Derek remembered some of the others from his childhood visits. No one brought up the fire, but when Derek started mentioning some of the good memories from those childhood visits, everyone seemed more comfortable about chiming in with anecdotes of their own.

Stiles already knew that Talia Hale had been one of the most respected alphas in the region, if not the country, but he also learned that Derek’s dad was a bitten wolf – bitten prior to meeting Talia – and that his last name had been Embry. His pack had been a small family one, and it had only been chance that he’d met Talia when he did. They’d fallen in love with each other almost immediately, right around the time Talia’s mother decided she was ready to pass on the alpha power to her.

“Alec was so excited to take the Hale name,” one of the older members of the conversation, Cheryl, told them. “It was considered a great honor.” She gave Derek a warm smile. “Your dad was such a sweetheart. He was so good with the kids. He’d roll around on the ground and let the cubs climb all over him, and he put on juggling shows. Do you remember?”

“I do,” Derek said, his own face lit up with a beautiful grin. “He loved it here. I think he considered everyone here to be kind of one big extended pack.”

“We are, in a way,” Trudy said from behind them. She looked to have temporarily abandoned the buffet and was carrying her camera. “All of you are part of _our_ pack, that’s for sure. And now, it’s family picture time.”

“It’s always picture time with you, Trudy Jo,” Cheryl’s husband, Frank, teased. “I don’t think I can remember a time when you haven’t had a camera in your hand for at least part of our stays here over the years.”

As everyone laughed and the conversation continued around him, Stiles latched on to those words. If Trudy had been taking pictures for many years, it only made sense that she would have taken lots of photos of Derek’s family. His mind raced, wondering if she’d still have any of the photos, pondering what kind of reaction Derek might have if he was suddenly presented with such tangible memories of his lost family.

“Hey, you okay?” Derek murmured next to Stiles’ ear. He rubbed Stiles’ knee, and Stiles forced himself to forget about the photos for the time being.

“Yeah, this food is amazing.” Stiles glanced at the others around them, but the conversation seemed to be going on without them. “Just kind of taking everything in, you know?”

Derek nodded, but before he could reply, Trudy got their attention and took a few pictures of just the two of them, then moved out to get some group shots where everyone was looking at the camera.

It wasn’t until a little over an hour later that Stiles finally got a chance to ask about the photos. It turned out that only three of the guests – plus Trudy herself – were able to fully shift into wolves, and the others wasted no time persuading them to do so. Derek looked vaguely reluctant, even after the others disappeared into a spare room to strip down. He pulled Stiles aside, far enough away that it was clear he didn’t want anyone eavesdropping.

“They’re going to want me to run with them,” he murmured.

“Is it safe?” Stiles asked. “And do you want to do it?”

“It’s safe.” Derek pondered the other question for a moment, but Stiles could already see the answer in the way his eyes lit up. “And yeah, it’d be nice to give my wolf a chance to stretch his legs. I’ve never run up here before. Used to dream about it when I was a kid.”

“Then go.” Stiles pulled him close and gave him a kiss. “Show them that gorgeous wolf.”

Derek grinned and squeezed Stiles’ hands before heading back the hallway. The other two wolves emerged just as he got to the room where they’d changed, and each gave him a quick sniff as he passed, then sat outside the room and waited for him.

Someone opened the door to the lodge’s big back deck and patio area, letting the wolves go first, with most of the others trailing behind. Derek circled around Stiles’ legs a few times, and Stiles kneeled to give him a hug, only to have a wet nose dig in behind his ear.

“Yeah, really cute,” he muttered, wiping at his ear and giving Derek a mock glare. Derek jumped back playfully, tail wagging, before trotting over to join the other wolves. They glanced at each other a few times, then took off into the woods beyond the yard, all three of them running at a full sprint.

Stiles waited until their yips and barks got pretty far away before glancing around in search of one of the Lowells. He found Walt first and motioned for the older man to join him off to the side, away from the group but still in sight of the woods.

“So,” he started off, trying for nonchalance and probably failing, “Trudy’s quite the photographer, huh?”

“She is,” Walt agreed, his expression bordering on puzzled, but still friendly enough.

“And she’s been doing it for a long time?” Okay, so subtlety wasn’t his strong suit.

“Yup.” And conversation wasn’t Walt’s strong suit.

“So, what does she do with all of those pictures? I mean, does she eventually get rid of them, or does she have some fancy filing system where she keeps them all?”

“Dunno if I’d call it fancy,” Walt told him, scratching idly at one arm. “She does keep them. They’re in file boxes in one of the rooms upstairs. Sorted by year.”

Stiles’ heart started to race, and Walt’s passive gaze drifted to his chest for a brief second before coming back up. It took a moment for Walt to catch up to Stiles’ train of thought, but when he did, his jaw dropped.

“So she still has pictures of Derek’s family from before the fire?”

Walt nodded, eyes going wide. “She does, I’m sure of it. Probably lots of ‘em.”

“Oh my god,” Stiles said, still keeping his voice low. He struggled to keep his thoughts from scattering in several different directions. “So, uh, let’s see. How…how far is the nearest store with one of those photo kiosks? And can I get them printed in time for his birthday? Wait. Shit. I can’t – if I’m not with him, he’ll suspect something –”

“Hey, hey.” Walt held up a hand. “You don’t need to go doing all that. Trudy has a scanner and a good photo printer. Hell, people are always asking her for copies of the pictures. Probably already has them scanned, too. She’s been backing everything up to discs. You know, just in case.”

It didn’t take Stiles long to figure out what he wanted to do. He’d have Trudy print copies of the photos, and he would set the digital files to music on his laptop to make a video slideshow. He could do it while Derek was in the bathroom or shower and have it done in time for his birthday. 

He did have a brief moment of doubt, wondering if Derek would like the photos, or if he’d be upset by them. He was almost sure that Derek would appreciate having those memories, a thought Trudy reinforced when Stiles and Walt pulled her into the conversation.

“Oh, honey,” she told him, “I think he’ll love it. Derek has so many great family memories wrapped up in this place, and it seems like he’s enjoying being back here. Case in point.” She gestured to the woods beyond the backyard, and Stiles caught a glimpse of a big black wolf streaking through the trees, closely trailed by the other two. “I think he’d love to have some pictures of his family – his pack.”

“Yeah,” Stiles said, his confidence in the idea returning. “I know he would.”

“I’ll get you the pictures by the end of the evening.” She gave them both a grin. “But first, I think I’m going to join the run.”

  


* * *

  


Walt stopped by their cabin later that evening to help them get the hot tub going, and before he left, he slipped a flash drive to Stiles. It seemed oddly covert, especially for someone Walt’s age. Stiles stashed the drive in his laptop bag for later and joined Derek in the hot tub.

“Bet this feels good after your run,” he said, cozying up to Derek and laying his head on Derek’s shoulder.

“Mmm. It does.” Derek’s hand found Stiles’ thigh under the water and started tracing lazy circles there. “I’ve been wanting to do that for so long.”

It sounded like there was a story there, so Stiles waited patiently, pressing gentle kisses to Derek’s jaw.

“When I was a kid, I used to watch the wolves run the forest here. It was Mom and Trudy and a couple of others, and they ran like the wind. I – I _dreamed_ of being able to do that someday.” His voice faltered, and Stiles wrapped his arm around Derek’s stomach, hugging him close. “I used to have these actual visions of running with Mom, of her being so proud of me…” He trailed off, taking a deep, shaky breath. “Now, it feels more like I’m running _for_ her.”

“And she’s still proud of you,” Stiles whispered.

“I know,” Derek said softly.

“So am I.” Stiles brushed his lips over Derek’s neck. “I love you, and I’m always proud of you, but seeing that today. You looked so free.” He leaned back far enough to give Derek a wink. “And let’s face it, your wolf is fucking magnificent.”

Derek laughed and nuzzled Stiles’ temple. “I love you, too. And I _felt_ free. I’ve run like that a few times before, you know, but being here, with all of the history – it was _crazy_.”

“So I take it you’re still happy we did this?”

“Yeah,” Derek sighed, “I’m beyond happy.”

They sank into silence, relaxing as the water bubbled around them, and Stiles couldn’t help smiling, feeling even better about the surprise he had planned.

  


* * *

  


Once Stiles got started on it, the video slideshow actually progressed pretty quickly. He’d already had a song in mind after texting Peter, and Trudy’s files were so well organized on the flash drive that he was able to insert the photos in chronological order. 

The part that was tougher than Stiles expected was actually seeing those tangible reminders of Derek’s past, of all that he’d lost. There were photos of Derek’s parents before they were married, photos of a round-faced, innocent Derek and his brothers and sisters, photos of them smiling and laughing, playing in the snow with Peter, opening presents on Yule and Derek’s birthday. He found himself, more often than not, working with a lump in his throat but a smile on his face.

Most of his time, though, was spent with Derek. It felt amazing to be away from work and the daily grind. It was peaceful and beautiful so deep in the woods, and it was downright cozy in their cabin, snuggling and watching TV, making love by the fireplace.

They also spent time at the main lodge, drinking mulled cider as they chatted with members of other packs, or eating one of Trudy’s delicious meals. There was a bonfire the night of the twenty-third, a celebration of both the solstice and Christmas. With freshly-fallen snow on the ground, the whole thing looked like something out of a fairy tale.

As they’d done since they started dating, Stiles and Derek celebrated the holiday on Christmas Eve since the twenty-fifth was Derek’s birthday. Stiles cooked a big breakfast of steak and eggs, enough to hold them over until dinner, and they settled in to watch a movie. 

Trudy was ‘catering’ their dinner, so they didn’t have to worry about doing the rest of the day’s cooking. Still, they decided to bake cookies together after the movie, both for themselves and to share at the lodge the following day. They were able to get the ingredients for Derek’s favorite, molasses sugar cookies, from Trudy and quickly settled into a rhythm in their cabin’s small kitchen.

They were so used to sharing a kitchen at home that they practically danced around each other. There was plenty of laughter and more than a few stolen kisses, and it made Stiles indescribably happy to see Derek having so much fun. He didn’t realize he was staring, a wide grin spread across his face, until Derek arched an eyebrow at him.

“What? Do I have flour in my hair?”

“No,” Stiles said, wiping his hands on a dishtowel. He wrapped his arms around Derek’s waist. “I’m just happy. You know, because you’re happy. I – god, Derek, I’m so in love with you.”

Derek smiled at him, soft and beautiful and a little shy around the edges. He pulled Stiles against him. “I’m in love with you, too.” He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “I didn’t know if I’d be okay coming back here. But I am, and it’s because of you. You – you bring out everything in me that I thought I’d lost.”

“Derek,” Stiles choked out. He buried his face in Derek’s neck and just held him close. One of Derek’s hands moved up and down his back, warm and soothing. And as he stood there in the arms of the man he loved more than he ever dreamed was possible, Stiles knew it was the right time to show Derek the photos.

“Hey.” He pulled back just enough to look into Derek’s eyes. “Um, I have a surprise for you. Is it okay if we open the presents now?”

“Yeah, of course.” Derek held on to him for another moment before leading him into the living room and over to the tree. There were only a few presents under the tree, because neither of them was very extravagant when it came to gift-giving. And Stiles would be the first to admit that he had a hard time finding things for someone like Derek, who valued Stiles and their family/pack members and their time together more than material possessions anyway.

They sat next to each other on the sofa and put their gifts on the coffee table. Stiles gave one to Derek first, a Yule-tree-to-be kit that would let him grow his own Scotch pine tree.

“To commemorate the first time we stayed here together,” Stiles said, trying not to blush at the shine in Derek’s eyes. “Kind of a new beginning.”

Derek nodded and handed him the largest of the gifts still on the table. Stiles couldn’t help shaking it to see if it made any telltale sounds, and Derek gave him a mock scowl. Stiles smirked back at him as he started unwrapping the present, which turned out to be the French press he’d been admiring on Amazon for the better part of a year, along with a bag of ground coffee from the same local coffee roasters who’d made their hot chocolate mix.

“Oh my god, _yes_! I love you, like seriously, way more than coffee. I do. But this is awesome!”

That reaction brought the smile back to Derek’s face, and Stiles beamed at him in return. He handed Derek his next gift, trying to keep his mind off of the fact that it was the only one left before the video and pictures. The last thing he needed was for his heartbeat to tip Derek off.

Thankfully, Derek seemed more intent on unwrapping the box, one almost as big as the French press. It was something practical, a handmade valet/docking station for Derek’s nightstand that would hold his cell phone, keys, wallet, and pocket change, and Derek’s initials were carved into the wood. Stiles knew how much Derek hated clutter, and by the look on Derek’s face, it was clear that the gift was another winner.

“The craftsmanship on this is great,” Derek said as he looked it over. “How did you know how much the stuff on my nightstand bothers me?”

Stiles scoffed. “You give it the disappointed dad look every night, eyebrows and all. That look that says your so done with it, and that you can’t believe it’s yours.”

Derek gave him the side eye. “Familiar with that look, are you?”

“Ouch, man,” Stiles replied, rubbing at his chest. “So harsh. And besides, I haven’t seen that look from him in…how long have we been here?”

Derek’s expression melted into something fond. “Maybe this will help make up for it.” He handed Stiles a small gift this time, artfully wrapped and adorned with a bow that was almost larger than the object itself.

Curious, Stiles wasted no time unwrapping it. Inside was a beautiful pendant, hand-stamped with the words, “Our souls are made from the same stars,” surrounded by little stars, with a full moon in the corner. A set of coordinates was stamped on the back, and as Stiles stared at the numbers, his chest felt so tight he could barely breathe.

“It’s the place in the woods where I saw you for the first time,” Derek murmured, reaching over to run his fingers over the coordinates, then trailing them over Stiles’ hand.

“Derek,” Stiles rasped, “I…this. This is beautiful.” He swallowed hard around the lump in his throat before lunging at Derek, pulling him into his arms with the hand that wasn’t clutching the pendant. Derek laughed and kissed him, the gift exchange momentarily forgotten.

After they finally came up for air and caught their breath, Stiles sat facing Derek and took both of his hands in his own. “I do have something else for you. It’s – I’m not sure what you’re going to think of it, and I hope I’m not totally fucking things up here, but it’s a chance I’m willing to take.” At Derek’s puzzled, if somewhat worried look, Stiles added, “It’ll all make sense in a minute.”

He held up a finger, then ran to grab his laptop and the photos from the bedroom. Walt had made a small box for the printed pictures out of reclaimed wood from his workshop, and he’d burned the letter H and a triskele into the lid. Trudy had gone all out when she wrapped it, adorning it with a big bow with curled ends and a bell in the middle. Stiles took everything out carefully, box balanced on top of the laptop. After putting it on the coffee table and opening the laptop, he turned to Derek, only to find him looking perplexed.

“Okay, so I’ve been working on this for the past couple of days. Um, when you were in the shower or the bathroom, and after you fell asleep. This part is from me.” He gestured to the laptop, then pointed to the gift. “And that’s from Trudy, Walt, and me. This first, though.”

He moved the other gifts out of the way and pushed the laptop back on the coffee table so both of them could easily see it, then double-checked the volume, brought up the video, and set it to play full screen. As soon as he pressed play, he sat back and grabbed Derek’s hand.

The first notes of the song, “You’re My Home” by Billy Joel, played over a black screen, but then a photo of a young Talia and Alec Hale slowly faded in. They were sitting on the front steps of the lodge, Alec’s arms draped around Talia’s shoulders from behind. Derek stiffened beside him, a startled gasp escaping his lips.

Stiles glanced over at him, suddenly worried that he’d made a huge mistake, but Derek didn’t look angry. He looked awestruck.

As they watched, the photos started featuring the Hale children – first Laura, perched on Alec’s hip or making snow angels. Then Derek, wide-eyed and chubby-cheeked, opening birthday presents and making pine cone bird feeders with Laura and Peter and sound asleep in his dad’s arms in front of the fireplace.

Cora came next, and though she looked innocent as a toddler, there was a defiant lift to her chin and a gleam in her eye. Max soon followed, and when a photo came up of Derek holding his baby brother and gazing lovingly at him, a sob from beside him made Stiles jump.

There were tears streaming down Derek’s cheeks, but he was smiling wider than Stiles had ever seen. Stiles let go of Derek’s hand and wrapped an arm around his shoulders instead, and Derek pressed himself against Stiles’ side.

“Stiles,” he whispered before breaking down again. Henry had finally made an appearance, and scattered amongst the candids were a few family portraits, taken either on the porch at the lodge or sitting around the fireplace in their large cabin.

It was emotional for Stiles, too, seeing them growing up on screen, knowing that so many of them would die horrible deaths. He’d seen the photos and video, of course, but watching with Derek made it all the more heartbreaking, and though he tried to hold it together for Derek’s sake, a few tears managed to escape by the time the video neared its end.

As the final notes of the song played, two last photos appeared on the screen, one fading into the other. Both were the last family portraits they’d taken before the fire. The first showed all of them on the steps of the lodge once again, with Talia and Alec on the top step, then Laura, Derek, and Cora on the next, and Max and Henry on the step below them. That photo faded to reveal a second, taken in the yard behind the lodge. Derek and Laura were standing on either side of Alec, with the younger kids sitting at their feet and Talia, in full wolf form, laying on the grass in front of them.

“Oh, Mom,” Derek whispered as the screen faded to black. He buried his face in Stiles’ neck and just cried. Stiles held him, making soothing noises as he ran a hand up and down Derek’s back. They stayed that way for several minutes, even after Derek’s tears trailed off to sniffles, then just ragged breathing.

Finally, Derek pulled away far enough to wipe his face with his hands. He was still smiling, to Stiles’ immense relief.

“You okay?” Stiles took Derek’s face in his hands, swiping the moisture from under his eyes with his thumbs.

“God, yes,” Derek breathed. “Stiles, I…I don’t even know what to say. You put all this together in two days?”

“I had some help,” Stiles admitted, “but yeah.”

Derek gave him that soft smile, a little shaky around the edges. “Thank you. This is wonderful. I – I can’t even think right now.”

“Are you ready for the other part yet?” Stiles pointed at the wrapped box, and Derek leaned over to get it, sitting it in his lap.

“I think so. I hope so.”

He carefully unwrapped it and took a moment to admire the box itself before opening it to reveal the printed photos inside.

“We should get some of them enlarged when you’re ready,” Stiles said softly. “Put them up in the house.”

“Yeah.” Derek was already distracted by the pile of photos. “I can’t – Stiles, I barely have any pictures of them. And none of us all together. This…” He trailed off and tucked his face into Stiles’ neck for a moment, taking comfort in his scent as he gathered himself.

They looked through the pictures at a slower pace, and Derek told Stiles about each one. He remembered some of them being taken, and others were a complete surprise, even some of the ones that were obviously posed. They laughed over the picture of five-year-old Derek with marshmallow and chocolate all over his face, half-eaten s’more in hand, at a Midsummer celebration. Derek wiped away tears again as he stared at the picture of himself curled protectively around Henry in bed while they both slept.

“I – I miss him, Stiles. I miss all of them, every day.” He leaned his head on Stiles’ shoulder and held up a photo of a grinning Alec Hale with his arms wrapped around the neck of a stunning black wolf, his wife and alpha. “Look at them. She was so beautiful, and Dad looks like he’s the richest man on Earth. They were so in love.”

“You look like her.” Stiles let his fingers drift up and down Derek’s shoulder. “Especially your wolf.”

“Thank you,” Derek said, and the weight behind those words made it clear that they were for more than just the compliment. “Really, Stiles. Having these pictures, I can’t put into words how much it means to me.” He paused for a moment before fixing Stiles with a curious look. “That song. It was Mom and Dad’s song. How did you know?”

“Oh, that. I, uh, may have asked Peter?”

“Yeah, he would’ve remembered that. He always teased them about being Billy Joel fans.”

Stiles risked a grin and was relieved when Derek returned it. “So, good gift?”

“Probably one of the best I’ve ever gotten.” He handed the box to Stiles to put on the coffee table, and when Stiles turned back to face him, Derek was holding something else in his hand.

Stiles stared at the small box, covered in navy blue velvet, and his pulse started thundering in his ears. He wanted to look up at Derek, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of that tiny blue box, not even when…

…when Derek dropped to one knee in the space between the sofa and table.

“I had a whole speech planned for this moment, but I’m kind of having a hard time with words right now, and you know I was never good with them to begin with.”

Stiles tried to laugh, but it came out as a choked half-sob.

“I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone. You make me happier than I’ve been in a very long time. I didn’t think it was possible to get that back, but you brought it out in me. You make me feel like I deserve that happiness and that peace, and it may have taken me a while to believe that was true, but I do believe it. And that’s something else I wouldn’t have without you.”

He paused to take a deep breath, his eyes shining once again as he opened the box to reveal a silver tungsten band with a small diamond – Stiles’ birthstone – set flush in it. Stiles finally managed to drag his gaze away from it and back to Derek.

“Mieczysław Stilinski – Stiles – will you marry me?”

Stiles tried to answer, he really did, but his vocal cords were having nothing to do with that. His mouth moved as he glanced down at the ring and back up at Derek, but nothing came out. Of course, then he started to panic over the idea that Derek might take his silence as refusal, and he did the only thing he could do – he nodded, frantically.

Derek broke into a smile, and that was all Stiles needed.

“Yes.” He somehow managed to push the word out – and then couldn’t stop. “Yes, yes, so much yes. I love you. And yes. Did I say ‘yes’ yet?”

“I think you did.” Derek took Stiles’ trembling hand in his own and slipped the ring on his finger. Stiles stared at it for a moment and found himself speechless once again. He tugged Derek back up onto the sofa, falling back so that they ended up sprawled out with Derek on top of him. Derek grunted in surprise, but it turned into a chuckle as he nuzzled at Stiles’ neck.

They laid there together as the minutes passed, making out and murmuring sweet nothings to each other and just reveling in the feeling of being together and being newly engaged. And by the time Trudy arrived with dinner, both of them were being much more sappy than they’d ever be willing to admit.

  


* * *

  


At Derek’s small birthday celebration at the lodge the next day, their engagement was the big topic of conversation. Everyone was pleased for them, and those who’d known Derek since before the fire seemed especially touched to see him so happy.

Trudy served a light lunch, then brought out cupcakes and ice cream a short time later, along with some of the cookies Stiles and Derek had baked the previous day. She also presented Derek with a framed photo of him kissing Stiles on the cheek right after they’d checked in on their first day.

“In honor of making new memories,” she told them before pulling Derek into a hug. Stiles mouthed a ‘thank you’ to her over Derek’s shoulder, and she gave him a warm, motherly smile.

Stiles, too, gave Derek a picture, but it was only because his birthday present for Derek – a large, shallow ceramic bowl full of succulents – wouldn’t have traveled well. Instead, it was already in their sunroom at home with Derek’s other plants, thanks to Stiles’ dad.

“It’s beautiful, Stiles, thank you,” Derek told him. He pulled Stiles in for a kiss, quick but thorough, and settled his hands on Stiles’ sides. “You already gave me the best birthday present I’ve ever gotten, though.”

“Yeah?” Stiles fished, knowing everyone was listening.

“Yes. I got to wake up engaged to you.” He smirked at Stiles as a chorus of ‘awws’ went up around them. “You’re going to have to work pretty hard to top that one.”

Stiles laughed and gave him another kiss.

“Challenge accepted.”

\---

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk Sterek with me on [tumblr!](http://anodyneer.tumblr.com/) <3


End file.
